Activists protest EU-Mercosur trade deal with ‘toxic’ demonstration

Activists staged a dramatic protest outside the European Commission in Brussels, targeting the controversial EU-Mercosur trade deal.

Demonstrators dressed as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever during the demonstration, which coincided with a meeting of EU trade ministers at the Foreign Affairs Council.

The EU-Mercosur agreement would lower tariffs and open markets between the EU and Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, while setting quotas and standards for sensitive agricultural products, including beef, poultry, sugar, and dairy. Supporters say the deal strengthens trade diversification, reduces dependence on China, and allows EU companies early access to Mercosur markets.

Environmental campaigners, however, have raised serious concerns. Frances Verkamp of Friends of the Earth Europe warned that pesticides banned in Europe could be exported to Mercosur countries and re-imported in food, and highlighted Brazil’s high pesticide use, deforestation risks, and threats to indigenous communities. She also cautioned that a surge of cheaper imports could undermine EU farmers, threatening livelihoods and food security.

Eloise Tuerlinck, policy advisor at Entraide & Fraternité, stressed that the deal could affect all Europeans through the quality and safety of food, noting that farmers are essential to the wider population.

Since October, the Stop EU-Mercosur campaign has toured Austria, Poland, Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands to highlight the environmental, social, and economic risks linked to the trade pact. Protest banners included slogans such as “Food for people, not for profit” and “Stop the EU-Mercosur agreement. An agreement that is harmful to farmers, the environment, and social and human rights.”

Although the EU asserts the agreement includes commitments to prevent further deforestation after 2030, critics say these measures lack enforceable mechanisms. Several member states, including France, Italy, and Poland, have voiced concerns over the deal’s impact on local agriculture and the environment.

The Brussels protest reflects mounting opposition from environmentalists, civil society, and farmers as the EU prepares to advance what would become one of its largest trade agreements.

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